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The textbook and laboratory manual appear traditional in many ways the lab manual is a staircase of skill development activities each building upon previous ones allowing students to develop and demonstrate their proficiency before moving to the next level. The text provides background to prepare students for their lab experiences as well as information to give students perspective on how and where the techniques and technologies are used in biotechnology research and manufacturing. Whether students continue in the science or business of biotechnology or if they pursue other interests they will be well-informed citizens who can better evaluate the growing number of bioethical and economical issues. Biotechnology: Science for the New Millennium is loosely grouped into four focus areas.

Chapters 1-5 called SLOP the standard lab operating procedures that every lab worker must master if he or she goes into an academic or corporate lab in pharmaceutical agricultural industrial or instrumentation biotechnology. SLOP includes safety documentation following oral and written directions experimental design data analysis and reporting volume measurement mass measurement solution and dilution preparation sterile technique cell culture DNA isolation and analysis and protein isolation and analysis. Chapters 6-9 focus on the production of recombinant proteins created through the use of genetic engineering and recombinant DNA. Chapters 10-12 spotlight traditional as well as recently developed technologies for creating new and novel crops and medicines. These include plant breeding asexual plant propagation and tissue culture plant DNA and protein studies plant genetic engineering and the creation of plant-based pharmaceuticals Chapters 13 and 14 introduce some of the most recent advances in DNA and protein studies and diagnostics.

Key topics are DNA synthesis PCR DNA sequencing genomics microarrays proteomics and other protein analyses.